90 mechanism used implicitly to make assumption in day-to-day language. Let us look at some English utterances and the possible presuppositions they have.
UTTERANCE PRESUPPOSITION Nobody in their right senses would talk that way 1. The utterance of someone is bad
2. Anyone who disagrees in the speaker’s opinion
is not in his right senses I want to tell you more about poultry farming. 1. The addressee knows somethings
about poultry farming 2. The speaker is more knowledgeable in poultry farming than the addressee
I will arrange for some extra money for your expenses 1. Some money has already been arranged for the addressee’s expenses.
2. The money arranged was not sufficient.
3. The speaker has control over the money being spent.
How close are you to Lagos 1. The addressee is close to Lagos.
2. The addressee is on his way to Lagos.
Bola has lost her enthusiasm for the less privileged. 1. Bola used to have enthusiasm for the less-privileged.
2. Something made
Bola to lose her enthusiasm I am making a lot of progress on the project. You need to come and see it. 1. The speaker has an ongoing project.
2. The addressee knows what the project is.
3. The progress the speaker is making is beyond the ordinary one.
Self-assessed Exercises (i) Select any of Obasanjo’s speeches when he was the president of the nation and discuss the presuppositions in the speech. ii) Also discuss the use of deixis in the speech.
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